Swedish anti-piracy group broke privacy data act

Regulator cracks down

Swedish anti-piracy group Antipiratbyrån (APB) has been disciplined by the country's Data Inspection Board for breaking privacy data rules in its hunt for illegal file-sharers.

ABP used special software to record the IP-addresses of file swappers, the file name and the server through which the connection was made, Sweden's The Local says. The company, a private organisation, reported hundreds of people to the police recently and has sent up to 2,000 emails a day to internet service providers notifying them of abuse.

ABP believed that there is nothing illegal about collecting IP addresses, but linking them to an individual can't be done without permission, Swedish Data Inspection Board now says.

It isn't the first time that ABP’s actions have been questioned. Earlier this year, Swedish ISP Bahnhof pondered legal action after it emerged that illegal material uncovered in a raid on its premises was placed there by a paid informant of ABP.